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(No Model.)

J. J. MOGOWEN.

ELECTRIC GAS LIGHTER.

No. 388,294. Patented Aug. 21, 1888.

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JOHN J. McGOWEN, or I'IHAOZA, NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC GAS-LIGHTER.

ESPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 388,294, dated August21, 1888 Application filed June 24, 1887. Serial No. 242,344.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN J. MGGOWEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ithaca, in the county of Tompkins and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Gas-Lighters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, which will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to construct and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification;

This invention relates to that class of electric gaslighters in whichthe gas is lighted by a spark generated by rapidly closing and breakingan electric circuit by means of a vibrating armature influenced by anelectro magnet placed in said circuit. Upon turning on the gas thecircuit is closed, so that the vibrating spark-generator is made tooperate, and said current is broken automatically soon after the gas islighted,to prevent needless waste ofthe battery materials. The formerend is attained by connecting the cock to a primarycircuit breaker, andthe latter object is accomplished by the use of a secondary -circuitbreaker caused to break the circuit through the expansion of some of itsparts by the heat of the burning gas. \Vhen the gas is blown out orotherwise improperly extinguished, leaving unburned gas issuing from theburner, said gas is quickly relighted by the cooling and consequentreturn to their-normal position of the expanded parts of thesecondary-circuit breaker.

Referring to the drawings, Figure I is a side elevation of my improvedgas-lighter, the case inclosing the secondary-circuit breaker beingpartly removed, the better to exhibit the devices therein contained.Fig. II is a plan view of the primary-circuit breaker.

The various parts of my improved device are attached to an ordinarygas-fixture, consisting of a burner, A, conducting-pipeB, and cock 0. Tothe upper end of said cock is fastened a fiat plate of metal, D, havingthe form of a mutilated disk, two opposite portions thereof being cutaway, leaving two opposite projecting wings. The plate D being rigidlysecured to the cock 0, is therefore caused to revolve with said cock.

(No model.)

An elastic metallic spring, E, is fastened at one end to the gas-fixtureataconvenient point near the cock, being electrically insulated fromsaid fixture by means of an interposed nonconducting block, E. The freeend of said spring is arranged to press downwardly upon the projectingwings of the plate D when said plate is so turned by the revolution ofthe cock 0 as to bring said projecting wings into contact with thespring. A wire, F, connects the spring E with one of the poles of anelectric battery.

The above-described devices, taken collectivelynamely, the cock 0, plateD, spring E, and insulating-block E-I term the primarycircuit breaker.

The secondary-circuit breaker, which I will now describe, is inclosedwithin a cylindrical metallic case, G, to the middle portion of which isexternally attached a metallic block, H, which I call the clamp. Saidclamp is pierced with a vertical hole which encircles the gasburner A,to which the clamp is secured by means of a set screw, H. A stiff bar,K, preferably made of brass, copper, or other metal capable of greatexpansion by heat, is vertically secured within the cylindrical case G,being substantially central to said case. The upper portion of said baris flat and its lower portion is round, and is provided withscrew-threads cut thereon. Said bar passes downwardly through a largecentral hole in the bottom of the case G, not touching the sides of saidhole, in which position it is rigidly secured by means ofinsulating-nuts L L, screwed upon the bar respectively inside andoutside of the case. By this construction the bar K is insulated fromthe case G.

The upper part of the bar K extends above the top of the case and isbent at a rightangle extending across the top of the gas-burner. A flatnormally-straight spring, M, is attached to the bar K in a substantiallyvertical position, being confined between the upper bent portion, K, ofthe bar and a pin, K, laterally projecting from said bar at a point nearthe nut L. The space in which said spring M is thus confined is shorterthan the spring, which is consequently forced out of a straight line,its central portion being bent away from ICO bar K.

A thin elastic strip of metal, N, is rigidly secured at its upper end tothe upper vertical portion of the bar K and thenceextends downwardly,its lower end being free. A screw, N, passes horizontally through saidstrip N, near its lower end, the point of said screwbeing normally incontact witha small metallic plate,

I, attached to and electrically insulated from the bar K. The metallicstrip N and screw N, taken together, I term the key. Said strip N isconnected to the spring M by means of a wire, 0, secured to said stripand spring at or near the middle portion of each, and curved to passaround the bar K.

An electro-magnet, P, is mounted in an upright position upon the clampH, between the case G and the burner. Above said electromagnet anarmature, R, is arranged, said armature being rigidly connected to avertical rod, R, which passes loosely through a hole suitably formed ina guide-block, R attached to and insulated from the case G. Said rod andarmature are free to move vertically for a short distance, and arenormally pressed upward by a spring, R coiled round the rod. In thisposition the armature is out of contact with the electro-magnet, and theupper end of the rod R is in contact with the upper horizontal portionof the bar K. The upper part of rod B may, if desired, be benthorizontally toward the gas burner, to bring said point of contact nearthe gas-jet.

I will now describe the electrical connections and the manner ofoperating the apparatus. YVhen the gas is turned on and connection madebetween the electric wire F and the gas fixture by the primary-circuitbreaker, as before described, the circuit is completed, as follows: Theinsulated wire encircling the electro-magnet P is connected at one endto the gas-burner A, or other suitable part of the gasfixt-ure,and atthe other end to the rod R, which in turn normally presses upon andconnects with the bar K. The remainder of the circuit is through thestrip N, screw N, and plate N to which plate a wire, S, is at tached,which passes out from the case G through a suitable hole formed therein,and is connected to the opposite pole of the battery.

broken by the withdrawal of the rod R from i the bar K, when the springR at once returns said rod and armature to their normal position,reclosing the circuit. Said rod and armature are thus caused to vibraterapidly in a manner very well known, and a succession of sparks resultsfrom the rapid breaking and closing of the circuit at the upper end ofrod R. The gas is lighted by said sparks, and the flame rapidly heatsthe bar K by the contact of its upper bent portion, K, with said flame.Said bar K, being heated, expands longitudinally, thereby allowing theless -expansible spring M to straighten. This movement of the springresults in forcing the key N N away from the plate N, thereby breakingthe circuit, said key being influenced by said spring through the mediumof the wire 0. The armature R and rod It now resume their normalposition. If the gas be blown out or otherwise improperly extinguished,leaving unburned gas issuing from the burner, the bar K, being no longerheated, contracts, thereby bending the spring M until contact is made bythe key N N with the plate N when the circuit is again complete and thegas is relighted by the resulting action, as above described, ot"

the eleetro-magnet and the armature R and rod R.

Having fully described my invention,I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent- An electricgas-lighti ng apparatus organized with a cockand burner, a primary-circuit breaker connected to that cock andarranged to close. the electric circuit when the gas is turned on, agas-lighter consisting of an electro-magnet placed in that circuit andarranged to attract an armature which in moving causes the circuit tobebrokeu and the gas to be lighted by the resulting spark,and asecondary circuit breaker arranged to break the circuit by the heatingand consequent expansion by the gas-

